Halloween is just over a month away, but the Eagles certainly put on a good show on their version of Black Monday as 38-year-old Chicago Bears backup quarterback Case Keenum resurrected the ghosts of Eagles past like Joe Webb and Taylor Heinicke.
The Eagles’ defense did an excellent job of masking Keenum as the next coming of Joe Montana, John Elway and Tom Brady rolled into one, as he completed 24 of 34 for 247 yards and 2 touchdowns in a thorough rout of the Eagles, 27-7, at Soldier Field on Monday night in front of a national TV audience.
It was Keenum’s first start since Dec. 24, 2023. He scored his first rushing touchdown since Dec. 22, 2019, against the New York Giants when many of the Eagles’ players were in high school.
It was a pure horror show for the Eagles punctuated by a lackluster offensive line, lackluster effort, incompetent coaching and lack of discipline, led by a season-high 10 penalties, more than the Eagles had combined in their first two games, and a team that better start evaluating itself before this season.
The Eagles have been making a lot of mistakes in their first two games against inferior teams because Jalen Hurts has bailed them out.
There was little Hurts could do Monday night, other than run for his life again, after completing 16 of 25 for 153 yards and a rushing TD.
Monday night could be a showcase for the Eagles, a show of strength to the rest of the NFC that they are the team to beat after falling to the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks and Super Bowl Los Angeles Rams this past weekend.
While the Delaware Valley was laughing at the Baltimore Ravens’ impressive finish over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, the rest of the country was having a big laugh over the loss of Case Keenum by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Actually, it was Bears coach Ben Johnson who beat the Eagles. He’s always been a million steps ahead of Vic Fangio, who opposing teams seem to have figured out, and Nick Sirianni, who has a brilliant paper team that does little to support that ability on the field.
This game can be a portend. It proved that the Eagles, at best, could be a 10-7 or 9-8 team that barely made the playoffs. Let’s see. With the Rams, Jacksonville, Carolina and Dallas ahead, the Eagles’ five-year postseason streak could come to a halt.
Less than a month until LeBron James and the 76ers start their season. Many of the Eagles will spend their winter courtside watching them.
Very little good, a pile of bad and an Everest of wanting ugly in the Eagles’ 27-7 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Hurts’ first half, completed 10 of 13 for 111 yards, hitting six different receivers and scoring on the final play of the half.
Last drive of the first half. Hurt, as he has done all this season, got the Eagles on the scoreboard, completing 5 of 6 for 66 yards, and capped an 8-play, 67-yard drive with a one-yard TD sneak on the final play of the half. It saved what at that point must have been an ugly first half.
Hurts’ 30-yard pass to DeVonta Smith at the Bears’ 19 with 40 seconds left in the first half.
Britain Covey’s 26-yard kickoff return after the Bears went up 10-0.
Jalyx Hunt gets good penetration on pushing Kyle Monangai back two yards for the Zack Baun and Jihad Campbell to clear it to the Eagles’ nine on first-and-goal.
Corner Quinyon Mitchell deflected a pass on the Bears’ third drive on fourth-and-goal, and went up to pull down D’Andre Swift for a two-yard loss with two minutes left on second-and-goal at the Eagles’ 11. Mitchell later deflected another pass on the Bears’ first drive of the second half.
Eagles goal-line stop on the Bears’ third possession. It came with a bit of luck as Rome Odunze flubbed an easy TD catch in the corner of the end zone, but was helped in a big way by a Quinyon Mitchell deflection on fourth-and-goal at the Eagles’ three.
Jalen Carter nailed D’Andre Swift for a two-yard loss on second-and-goal on the Bears’ third drive.
A good start, quickly turned bad. Rookie Makai Lemon hauled in the first play of the game for a 19-yard gain. The Eagles’ first drive kind of fizzled after that.
Keenum completed 9 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown on his first 11 throws.
Cooper DeJean continues to have his problems. His missed tackle on Luther Burdenon the Bears’ third possession on second-and-12 on the final play of the first quarter.
Painfully nailed for intentional grounding on the fourth play of the Eagles’ first trip. EJ Jenkins looks to be around the ball. He didn’t, draw a flag. The Eagles went from third-and-six to third-and-16 at midfield.
Linebacker Zack Baun makes a rare mistake, missing rookie tight end Sam Roushwho had no catch before Monday night, on fourth-and-one at the Eagles’ 32. Roush slid down, Baun found him 16 yards later, after allowing Roush to get wide open. Baun’s game is really difficult. Every time, it seemed, Keenum found the middle of the field wide open, where Baun was patrolling.
A sign of things to come. Safety Marcus Epps missed Luther Burden on the first play of the game for seven yards. Epps later came up big when DeJean handed him off for a 22-yard reception to Rome Odunze late in the first half to the Eagles’ 33.
Sirianni and Fangio who were systematically outcoached by the Bears’ Ben Johnson. The Bears gained 24 first downs to the Eagles’ 14, 375 yards of total offense to the Eagles’ 248, and Keenum completed 24 of 34 for just 247 yards.
The Eagles turned the ball over five times and had no turnovers in the first three games for the first time in franchise history.
The Eagles offense in the third quarter. Of the 11 third-quarter drives the Eagles have had this season, they were three-and-out in eight of them. They were outscored a combined 17-6 in the quarter, and gained 95 yards and three first downs. Against Washington and Chicago, they went three-and-out on their first three drives and three-and-out on three of four drives. Against Tennessee, the Eagles went three-and-out on two of three drives. Against Chicago, the trend continued for 31 yards of offense and a first down.
Andrew Mukuba’s holding call at 9:07 to play, giving the Bears an automatic first down to the Eagles’ nine. It was the fourth time the Eagles secondary had been flagged and the fourth time the Bears recovered a first down from an Eagles penalty.
The Eagles’ Moro Ojomo was coaxed offside on a fourth-and-two play with 12:48 left in the game at the Eagles’ 39. The play was typical of the night for the Eagles, who were headed for 10 penalties. The flag gave the Bears a new set of downs, and allowed them to seal the victory on a 1-yard Case Keenum score.
The Eagles went through 9 penalties combined (for 75 yards) in their first two games, with 10 flags for 61 yards against Chicago.
Copper, gold corner Cooper DeJean or Riq Woolen, who had a sensational game, should have taken Kalif Raymond in the middle of the field for a 41-yard touchdown with 5:47 left in the third quarter. Woolen lined up against Raymond, then passed on cover motion Luther Burden. But both DeJean and Woolen stayed with Burden, allowing Raymond to run uncovered up the middle. DeJean may be responsible for cutting Raymond inside, while Woolen takes outside motion receiver Burden. Mukuba was positioned in the middle of Wisconsin and nowhere to be found.
Eagles first quarter. The Bears had 7 first downs, had the ball for 11:35, converted 3 of 5 third and fourth downs, and had 105 yards of total offense to the Eagles’ 44. Keenum was 9 of 11 for 70 yards, throwing for 6 of the Bears’ 7 first downs. The Eagles were also flagged three times for 25 yards.
Andy Dalton—not good. There is no great revelation there. On a third-and-goal, after the Eagles made a goal line stop and charged 97 yards up the field to the Bears’ 1, Dalton blew it by dropping back and then turning the ball over as Dalton threw the ball right to Bears safety Dillon Thieneman in the middle of the end zone. Dalton should be cut. He’s a rare Howie Roseman mistake.
After two great games to open the season, the other side of the Woolen made an appearance. He was flagged twice in the first half, a holding call and an illegal flag on contact that came on third-and-six, giving the Bears first-and-goal to the Eagles’ six. With the exception of Mitchell, Woolen and the rest of the Eagles’ secondary also looked 10 feet away from the Bears’ receivers.
Right guard Tyler Steen was flagged for holding on the Eagles’ second drive that ended Saquon Barkley’s 19-yard run. The play was far left from Steen, who didn’t have to do anything on the play but get out of the way.
Ugly, ugly, ugly way to start any game. Johnson put on a classic coaching clinic with Fangio and Sirianni. It started badly, when safety Epps came in and missed Burden on the first play of the game for seven yards. Keenum went 5 for 6 for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Bears ran 11 plays, covering 66 yards and chewing up 6:13 on the clock. Johnson and Keenum shortened passing routes. Took everything the Eagles and Fangio gave them underneath and nibbled their way down the field. The Bears converted one of two third downs and one fourth down. Keenum’s quick release on the Bears’ short routes rattled the Eagles.